therotund1
Jan 04, 2004, 01:00 AM
!Introduction
| spec2
| @905590
| Specifications:
|> <b>Wingspan:</b> |< 59 in (1500mm)
|> <b>Wing Area:</b> |< 930 sq in (60dm2)
|> <b>Weight:</b> |< 49.5-5.5 lb (2200-2500g)
|> <b>Wing Loading:</b> |< 12.1-13.6 oz/sq ft (37-42g/dm2)
|> <b>Length:</b> |< 59 in (1490mm)
|> <b>Requires:</b> |< 2-stroke .46 cu in (7.5cc) or 4-stroke .52 cu in (8.5cc) engine, 4-channel radio w/5 servos, glow fuel and suport equipment
Kyosho's FLIP 3D was designed by Christope Paysant-Le-Roux, 2 time F3A World Champion. It is advertised as a low speed trickster that will "showcase piloting skills and to transport the adventurous ace to the outer limits of aerobatic excess." We are about to find out if it lives up to that claim...
* What I used in it...
* Engine: O.S. FS 70 Surpass II
* Prop: Master Airscrew 13-6 K Series
* Spinner: Great Planes 2-1/4 inch aluminum
* Mount: Great Planes 40 size
* Servo's: Futaba S3001 (5)
* Receiver: Futaba FP-R127DF
* Battery: 1000Mah
* Tank: As supplied
* Control rods: 4-40
* Tailwheel: Sullivan S859
* Hinges: Great Planes CA type
!Kit Contents
The Flip arrived intact with no damage and was very well packed. All of the major parts were individually bagged in plastic and separated well to resist shipping damage.
@905591:Unpacking
As you can see, it is covered in clear with a multi-colored, multi piece design work on it. With the bulk of the covering in clear, it allows a good inspection of the quality of the wood used and the construction. I found absolutely no faults in the airframe at all. Superb quality of the wood used.
!Construction
The first thing to be done is to read the assembly manual. (Download the manual at <a href="http://www.kyosho.com/manuals/index.html">http://www.kyosho.com/manuals/index.html</a> ) I found the manual a little confusing to use. There seemed to be a little detail lost in the translation from Japanese, however the photos were very good and took care of a lot of the questions. If you have assembled an ARF or two before, the manual will pose no problems at all.
!!The wing assembly
The Flip 3D has a one piece wing so this is going to be easy. The manual tells us to epoxy the supplied metal hinges and install the ailerons on the first step. I chose to wait to do this until later. The ailerons are so big (1/3rd of the wing chord) that I didn't want them flopping around while I installed the hold down bolt doubler, the belly pan and the servo's. The installation of these was pretty straight forward with no hangups. I used Futaba S3001 servo's and did not need to extend the servo wires for the ailerons. The fine folks at Kyosho also installed a string in the wing for fishing the servo leads to the center of the wing. A big help and a nice touch.
I mentioned the metal hinges for the control surfaces. Mine were binding slightly when I inspected them so I decided not to use them. I used Great Planes CA hinges instead. I also added a few more of them for security. Each aileron was slotted for four hinges, I used seven per side. Get a Great Planes hinge slotting tool, it's worth it's weight in gold. Perfect for this addition.
For my peace of mind, I also changed the servo control rods and clevises to 4-40 size. On this type of plane I go to great extremes to "bullet proof" all of the surfaces.
!!The engine and fuel tank installation
The range of engine types that this plane can use is so great, they did not drill a hole in the firewall for the fuel tank neck to fit into. This is a good thing. The Kyosho people have set this plane up to work with pumped engines. They have a former in the wing bay with the tank hole in it ready made to put the tank on the CG if you use a pumped engine. I will be using a non pumped engine so, I got out a 7/8ths inch wood bit and went to work. The firewall is marked for the center so, X marks the spot! they have supplied a two piece beam type mount and you will have to drill the firewall and install the blind nuts. I decided to use a Great Planes 40 size adjustable mount with 6-32 bolts and blind nuts to ease future engine changes. The supplied beam mounts are light and well made. This modification was purely a "me" thing.
I was afraid of underpowering the plane so the engine I used was an O.S. FS 70 Surpass II. This engine has performed very well for me in the past and is one of my favorites. The manual says to mount the 2 strokes inverted and to mount the 4 strokes at ninety degrees with the cylinder and head sticking out the right side of the cowl. I mounted my FS 70 inverted and added a Sullivan remote glow lead. My mounting choice was done to keep the range of engines I could use on this plane open. Mounting a 2 stroke on it's side would lead to major cowl problems with the muffler.
The tank is a 270cc unit (9.13fl ounces) and I did use the 3 line set-up as instructed. Easy job. There is one thing to watch out for here, because of the wide array of engines and mounting options, be careful to mind the centerline of the tank. It can be mounted either way so, line the middle of the tank with you're particular engine's carb/needle centerline and add foam to fill the void. Leak test your tank. The throttle servo will have it captured and you will not be able to easily remove it.
The throttle linkage is straight forward as well. You will have to drill the hole for the throttle rod tube but, no big deal. I do recommend that you do a "dry run" on it because of the severe angles if you mount a 4 stroke inverted.
!!Throttle servo and landing gear
The throttle servo tray will need to be epoxied in. Mine needed a little sanding to fit the recommended location. I mounted mine on the CG area to lessen the angle of the throttle rod. No problem.
The landing gear is a nice aluminum piece. Seems plenty strong. There is a front and a rear to the gear. The manual does a good job of explaining this. The wheel pants supplied are thin fiberglass and look great! They are very simple to install.
!!Tail feathers
This is one of those planes where you have to "sneak" the horizontal stabilizer into the fuselage sideways rather than from behind. You will also have to install the U shaped elevator joiner wire. First thing is to drill the joiner wire holes and lay it all out as a dry run.
@905592:Dry run of the elevator/stab assembly.
Be very careful doing the drilling. Measure twice, drill once. Notice the blue tape on the drill bit in the photo above. That's my easy way of NOT drilling too far. Measure your depth, translate it to the bit and put tape on it. Stop drilling when you get to the tape. Make sure the counterbalances do not rub on the stab.
I added an extra hinge slot per side at this time for the CA hinges. They supplied two metal hinges per side. I then mounted the wing and slid the stab in and centered it left to right. Then I equalized the distance from the front corner of the stab to the rear edge of the wing at the tip. I re-checked that it was still centered then stood back to check the up and down alignment with the wing. Mine was right on the money. No sanding required. Yippeee! I marked the covering with a Sharpie and took it all apart. Be sure you put the elevator joiner wire in the rear of the stab slot before you epoxy it in. Use 30 minute epoxy here to allow enough time to align everything taking care not to get any on the joiner wire.
@905593:The joiner wire and stab in place.
Time for the rudder. Notice I haven't said anything about a vertical stabilizer yet... Well, there ain't one! This thing has a full flying rudder!!! Too cool! Kyosho included two metal hinges and a tailwheel assembly we'll need to deal with before we can attach the rudder. I cut two more slots for CA hinges and deleted the factory tailwheel. I used a Sullivan tailwheel assembly because it does not let any vertical shock go into the rudder. It mounts to the bottom of the fuse and has a spring loaded tiller that attaches to the rudder. I was worried about the rudder getting knocked loose due to a, not so perfect, landing. CA the hinges and move on.
!!Elevator and rudder servos
The manual is a little vague on the servo mounting here but, the pictures tell it all. The elevator servo goes on the right side of the fuse with the output for the arm towards the top of the plane. The rudder servo goes on the left side of the plane with the output for the arm towards the bottom of the plane. I had to stare at the picture for a few minutes to get this. When installed, the servo placement is a no brainer. It all looks so simple! I added eighteen inch servo wire extensions to be sure I could place the receiver anywhere in the wing bay. (I could have used twelve inch extensions with the rearward receiver position.)
!!Canopy and cowl
I skipped ahead to the canopy and cowl at this point. Add the pilot of your choice. Cut out the canopy at the marked lines. Four screws and that's done! The cowl is high quality thin fiberglass and will need to be cut for your engine. Take your time here and test fit a lot. You can always cut a little more but, you can't put it back once it's gone. Slow and easy is the ticket.
!!Mounting the electronics
The manual says the CG needs to be between 120 and 150 millimeters. I left the battery, receiver and switch installation until I put it on my Great Planes CG Machine. I found that I could mount the battery receiver and switch to the rear of the wing bay and not add any weight to the plane while in the CG range. Sweet!
After finding out where I needed to mount the battery, receiver and switch, I had to permanently secure them. The battery fit nicely in the turtle deck area behind the cockpit. I then secured the receiver towards the bottom of the plane under it. The switch went in beside the receiver on the opposite side from the exhaust. Very easy installation. To make a bulkhead between the battery and receiver took only a couple of pieces of 5/16th square spruce and a popsicle stick. Almost ready to fly now... I can't wait!
!!Tail wires
The manual has a very good diagram of the flying wires for the horizontal stabilizer. Don't be tempted to leave these off. I feel that the stresses the elevator will give warrant their use. Get help to do these. It's not that it's difficult, you just need an extra hand to keep them tight.
!!Final balance and weight
Thanks to pre-balancing the model, I arrived at a final balance point of 138 millimeters. Just right for a maiden flight. As for lateral balance, my Flip 3D did not require any weight here as well. With the equipment I used it's ready to fly weight is only 5 pounds 7 ounces. This is one well built airplane.
!!Control throws
The manual has a fantastic set of photos on step 19 that not only give you the throws but, shows you where to measure them! I like this! I brings the guesswork down to zero. I set up my Flip "by the book" on the throws for my low rates. I set the high rates on kill! Done!
!!Posing time!!!
@905594:Front
@905595:Right
@905596:Rear
@905597:Left
@905598:Bottom, thanks to our lovely model Nick (crash_out)
@905593:Closer bottom shot
!Flight!
The first flight was done by our club's resident "Test Pilot". Wind right down the runway at around 10 MPH. Inverted flight, snap rolls, 4 point rolls, 8 point rolls, wild aileron rolls and some of the tightest loops (flips) I've ever seen(and no flaperons needed) were done on the maiden flight. It required absolutely NO trimming. It has totally unlimited vertical. It will fly at a fast walking pace with complete control. He had nothing bad to say about it!
@905599:Taxiing
@905600:We're on the runway!
@905601:We're off!
@905602:In the middle of a hammerhead turn
My turn! I took off in about 40 feet at about 1/2 throttle. I made a couple of circuits to get the feel of it. I didn't try anything too radical for my first time with it. A couple of hammerheads, some tight loops, a few fast aileron rolls. The best way I know how to describe this plane is that it's a time machine. It's doing this incredible stuff rapidly but I don't feel rushed. I felt very comfortable with it. The stall test. What stall! I couldn't get it that slow while at altitude! I brought it in a little lower and was flying slow enough to scare me with total control! Time to land already. I missed the runway! It floated on past me and I was too chicken to try to land it this time. I went around. This time I landed it with about a 3 foot ground roll! This thing will fly so slow it's amazing! I'm loving it!
@905603:Turning left
@905604:Fly by
The next day. Wind blowing straight down the runway at 20MPH plus. Takeoff was in 20 feet. Harrier time! I was harrier-ing this thing with reverse ground speed (at altitude)! Freaky! Inverted was a breeze! I actually think it climbs a little but, it may just be me getting excited about it. Hovering was a problem for me in the wind. Time to land and let Jimmy fly it. It was a bear in the wind to land! It's not a windy day plane. Jimmy took it off and did more of the same but he could get it to hover upright very steady even though the wind was carrying it down the runway. I snuck a peek at the transmitter and he was giving it very small adjustments to keep it nose up! I can't wait to fly it on a calm day! Woo Hoo!
!!Changes I plan to make
After flying it on a cloudy day, I would recommend putting some brighly colored Monokote on the leading edge of the wing. I becomes hard to see with clouds behind it when coming towards you. I'm going to start moving the CG back as soon as I get a calm day to see how it acts. I'll keep you posted with updates and more pictures in the discussion section. I also intend to try several different engines.
!Conclusion...
It's definitely a keeper! A great quality plane that's an easy build. It can be flown with a 4 channel radio set without fear at the recommended rates. A 46 class 2 stroke engine will fly this plane with ease. The only thing I'm not sure of is pulling out of a hover with a 46ish engine. I have no doubts that it will make a fine 3D machine! The jury is still out on the covering design. I like it but some people at my club don't care for it. Everyone was impressed with the flight characteristics and the overall quality of the plane. Other than the hinges, I'm totally happy with the way mine went together.
!!Resources
Kyosho (www.kyosho.com) and O.S. Engines (www.osengines.com) are distributed by:
<div class="callout">
<address>
Great Planes<br>
www.greatplanes.com <br>
P.O. Box 9021, Champaign IL 61826<br>
</address>
</div>
I also used products from Sullivan:
<div class="callout">
<address>
Sullivan Products<br>
www.sullivanproducts.com <br>
1 North Haven Street Baltimore MD 21224 <br>
</address>
</div>
| spec2
| @905590
| Specifications:
|> <b>Wingspan:</b> |< 59 in (1500mm)
|> <b>Wing Area:</b> |< 930 sq in (60dm2)
|> <b>Weight:</b> |< 49.5-5.5 lb (2200-2500g)
|> <b>Wing Loading:</b> |< 12.1-13.6 oz/sq ft (37-42g/dm2)
|> <b>Length:</b> |< 59 in (1490mm)
|> <b>Requires:</b> |< 2-stroke .46 cu in (7.5cc) or 4-stroke .52 cu in (8.5cc) engine, 4-channel radio w/5 servos, glow fuel and suport equipment
Kyosho's FLIP 3D was designed by Christope Paysant-Le-Roux, 2 time F3A World Champion. It is advertised as a low speed trickster that will "showcase piloting skills and to transport the adventurous ace to the outer limits of aerobatic excess." We are about to find out if it lives up to that claim...
* What I used in it...
* Engine: O.S. FS 70 Surpass II
* Prop: Master Airscrew 13-6 K Series
* Spinner: Great Planes 2-1/4 inch aluminum
* Mount: Great Planes 40 size
* Servo's: Futaba S3001 (5)
* Receiver: Futaba FP-R127DF
* Battery: 1000Mah
* Tank: As supplied
* Control rods: 4-40
* Tailwheel: Sullivan S859
* Hinges: Great Planes CA type
!Kit Contents
The Flip arrived intact with no damage and was very well packed. All of the major parts were individually bagged in plastic and separated well to resist shipping damage.
@905591:Unpacking
As you can see, it is covered in clear with a multi-colored, multi piece design work on it. With the bulk of the covering in clear, it allows a good inspection of the quality of the wood used and the construction. I found absolutely no faults in the airframe at all. Superb quality of the wood used.
!Construction
The first thing to be done is to read the assembly manual. (Download the manual at <a href="http://www.kyosho.com/manuals/index.html">http://www.kyosho.com/manuals/index.html</a> ) I found the manual a little confusing to use. There seemed to be a little detail lost in the translation from Japanese, however the photos were very good and took care of a lot of the questions. If you have assembled an ARF or two before, the manual will pose no problems at all.
!!The wing assembly
The Flip 3D has a one piece wing so this is going to be easy. The manual tells us to epoxy the supplied metal hinges and install the ailerons on the first step. I chose to wait to do this until later. The ailerons are so big (1/3rd of the wing chord) that I didn't want them flopping around while I installed the hold down bolt doubler, the belly pan and the servo's. The installation of these was pretty straight forward with no hangups. I used Futaba S3001 servo's and did not need to extend the servo wires for the ailerons. The fine folks at Kyosho also installed a string in the wing for fishing the servo leads to the center of the wing. A big help and a nice touch.
I mentioned the metal hinges for the control surfaces. Mine were binding slightly when I inspected them so I decided not to use them. I used Great Planes CA hinges instead. I also added a few more of them for security. Each aileron was slotted for four hinges, I used seven per side. Get a Great Planes hinge slotting tool, it's worth it's weight in gold. Perfect for this addition.
For my peace of mind, I also changed the servo control rods and clevises to 4-40 size. On this type of plane I go to great extremes to "bullet proof" all of the surfaces.
!!The engine and fuel tank installation
The range of engine types that this plane can use is so great, they did not drill a hole in the firewall for the fuel tank neck to fit into. This is a good thing. The Kyosho people have set this plane up to work with pumped engines. They have a former in the wing bay with the tank hole in it ready made to put the tank on the CG if you use a pumped engine. I will be using a non pumped engine so, I got out a 7/8ths inch wood bit and went to work. The firewall is marked for the center so, X marks the spot! they have supplied a two piece beam type mount and you will have to drill the firewall and install the blind nuts. I decided to use a Great Planes 40 size adjustable mount with 6-32 bolts and blind nuts to ease future engine changes. The supplied beam mounts are light and well made. This modification was purely a "me" thing.
I was afraid of underpowering the plane so the engine I used was an O.S. FS 70 Surpass II. This engine has performed very well for me in the past and is one of my favorites. The manual says to mount the 2 strokes inverted and to mount the 4 strokes at ninety degrees with the cylinder and head sticking out the right side of the cowl. I mounted my FS 70 inverted and added a Sullivan remote glow lead. My mounting choice was done to keep the range of engines I could use on this plane open. Mounting a 2 stroke on it's side would lead to major cowl problems with the muffler.
The tank is a 270cc unit (9.13fl ounces) and I did use the 3 line set-up as instructed. Easy job. There is one thing to watch out for here, because of the wide array of engines and mounting options, be careful to mind the centerline of the tank. It can be mounted either way so, line the middle of the tank with you're particular engine's carb/needle centerline and add foam to fill the void. Leak test your tank. The throttle servo will have it captured and you will not be able to easily remove it.
The throttle linkage is straight forward as well. You will have to drill the hole for the throttle rod tube but, no big deal. I do recommend that you do a "dry run" on it because of the severe angles if you mount a 4 stroke inverted.
!!Throttle servo and landing gear
The throttle servo tray will need to be epoxied in. Mine needed a little sanding to fit the recommended location. I mounted mine on the CG area to lessen the angle of the throttle rod. No problem.
The landing gear is a nice aluminum piece. Seems plenty strong. There is a front and a rear to the gear. The manual does a good job of explaining this. The wheel pants supplied are thin fiberglass and look great! They are very simple to install.
!!Tail feathers
This is one of those planes where you have to "sneak" the horizontal stabilizer into the fuselage sideways rather than from behind. You will also have to install the U shaped elevator joiner wire. First thing is to drill the joiner wire holes and lay it all out as a dry run.
@905592:Dry run of the elevator/stab assembly.
Be very careful doing the drilling. Measure twice, drill once. Notice the blue tape on the drill bit in the photo above. That's my easy way of NOT drilling too far. Measure your depth, translate it to the bit and put tape on it. Stop drilling when you get to the tape. Make sure the counterbalances do not rub on the stab.
I added an extra hinge slot per side at this time for the CA hinges. They supplied two metal hinges per side. I then mounted the wing and slid the stab in and centered it left to right. Then I equalized the distance from the front corner of the stab to the rear edge of the wing at the tip. I re-checked that it was still centered then stood back to check the up and down alignment with the wing. Mine was right on the money. No sanding required. Yippeee! I marked the covering with a Sharpie and took it all apart. Be sure you put the elevator joiner wire in the rear of the stab slot before you epoxy it in. Use 30 minute epoxy here to allow enough time to align everything taking care not to get any on the joiner wire.
@905593:The joiner wire and stab in place.
Time for the rudder. Notice I haven't said anything about a vertical stabilizer yet... Well, there ain't one! This thing has a full flying rudder!!! Too cool! Kyosho included two metal hinges and a tailwheel assembly we'll need to deal with before we can attach the rudder. I cut two more slots for CA hinges and deleted the factory tailwheel. I used a Sullivan tailwheel assembly because it does not let any vertical shock go into the rudder. It mounts to the bottom of the fuse and has a spring loaded tiller that attaches to the rudder. I was worried about the rudder getting knocked loose due to a, not so perfect, landing. CA the hinges and move on.
!!Elevator and rudder servos
The manual is a little vague on the servo mounting here but, the pictures tell it all. The elevator servo goes on the right side of the fuse with the output for the arm towards the top of the plane. The rudder servo goes on the left side of the plane with the output for the arm towards the bottom of the plane. I had to stare at the picture for a few minutes to get this. When installed, the servo placement is a no brainer. It all looks so simple! I added eighteen inch servo wire extensions to be sure I could place the receiver anywhere in the wing bay. (I could have used twelve inch extensions with the rearward receiver position.)
!!Canopy and cowl
I skipped ahead to the canopy and cowl at this point. Add the pilot of your choice. Cut out the canopy at the marked lines. Four screws and that's done! The cowl is high quality thin fiberglass and will need to be cut for your engine. Take your time here and test fit a lot. You can always cut a little more but, you can't put it back once it's gone. Slow and easy is the ticket.
!!Mounting the electronics
The manual says the CG needs to be between 120 and 150 millimeters. I left the battery, receiver and switch installation until I put it on my Great Planes CG Machine. I found that I could mount the battery receiver and switch to the rear of the wing bay and not add any weight to the plane while in the CG range. Sweet!
After finding out where I needed to mount the battery, receiver and switch, I had to permanently secure them. The battery fit nicely in the turtle deck area behind the cockpit. I then secured the receiver towards the bottom of the plane under it. The switch went in beside the receiver on the opposite side from the exhaust. Very easy installation. To make a bulkhead between the battery and receiver took only a couple of pieces of 5/16th square spruce and a popsicle stick. Almost ready to fly now... I can't wait!
!!Tail wires
The manual has a very good diagram of the flying wires for the horizontal stabilizer. Don't be tempted to leave these off. I feel that the stresses the elevator will give warrant their use. Get help to do these. It's not that it's difficult, you just need an extra hand to keep them tight.
!!Final balance and weight
Thanks to pre-balancing the model, I arrived at a final balance point of 138 millimeters. Just right for a maiden flight. As for lateral balance, my Flip 3D did not require any weight here as well. With the equipment I used it's ready to fly weight is only 5 pounds 7 ounces. This is one well built airplane.
!!Control throws
The manual has a fantastic set of photos on step 19 that not only give you the throws but, shows you where to measure them! I like this! I brings the guesswork down to zero. I set up my Flip "by the book" on the throws for my low rates. I set the high rates on kill! Done!
!!Posing time!!!
@905594:Front
@905595:Right
@905596:Rear
@905597:Left
@905598:Bottom, thanks to our lovely model Nick (crash_out)
@905593:Closer bottom shot
!Flight!
The first flight was done by our club's resident "Test Pilot". Wind right down the runway at around 10 MPH. Inverted flight, snap rolls, 4 point rolls, 8 point rolls, wild aileron rolls and some of the tightest loops (flips) I've ever seen(and no flaperons needed) were done on the maiden flight. It required absolutely NO trimming. It has totally unlimited vertical. It will fly at a fast walking pace with complete control. He had nothing bad to say about it!
@905599:Taxiing
@905600:We're on the runway!
@905601:We're off!
@905602:In the middle of a hammerhead turn
My turn! I took off in about 40 feet at about 1/2 throttle. I made a couple of circuits to get the feel of it. I didn't try anything too radical for my first time with it. A couple of hammerheads, some tight loops, a few fast aileron rolls. The best way I know how to describe this plane is that it's a time machine. It's doing this incredible stuff rapidly but I don't feel rushed. I felt very comfortable with it. The stall test. What stall! I couldn't get it that slow while at altitude! I brought it in a little lower and was flying slow enough to scare me with total control! Time to land already. I missed the runway! It floated on past me and I was too chicken to try to land it this time. I went around. This time I landed it with about a 3 foot ground roll! This thing will fly so slow it's amazing! I'm loving it!
@905603:Turning left
@905604:Fly by
The next day. Wind blowing straight down the runway at 20MPH plus. Takeoff was in 20 feet. Harrier time! I was harrier-ing this thing with reverse ground speed (at altitude)! Freaky! Inverted was a breeze! I actually think it climbs a little but, it may just be me getting excited about it. Hovering was a problem for me in the wind. Time to land and let Jimmy fly it. It was a bear in the wind to land! It's not a windy day plane. Jimmy took it off and did more of the same but he could get it to hover upright very steady even though the wind was carrying it down the runway. I snuck a peek at the transmitter and he was giving it very small adjustments to keep it nose up! I can't wait to fly it on a calm day! Woo Hoo!
!!Changes I plan to make
After flying it on a cloudy day, I would recommend putting some brighly colored Monokote on the leading edge of the wing. I becomes hard to see with clouds behind it when coming towards you. I'm going to start moving the CG back as soon as I get a calm day to see how it acts. I'll keep you posted with updates and more pictures in the discussion section. I also intend to try several different engines.
!Conclusion...
It's definitely a keeper! A great quality plane that's an easy build. It can be flown with a 4 channel radio set without fear at the recommended rates. A 46 class 2 stroke engine will fly this plane with ease. The only thing I'm not sure of is pulling out of a hover with a 46ish engine. I have no doubts that it will make a fine 3D machine! The jury is still out on the covering design. I like it but some people at my club don't care for it. Everyone was impressed with the flight characteristics and the overall quality of the plane. Other than the hinges, I'm totally happy with the way mine went together.
!!Resources
Kyosho (www.kyosho.com) and O.S. Engines (www.osengines.com) are distributed by:
<div class="callout">
<address>
Great Planes<br>
www.greatplanes.com <br>
P.O. Box 9021, Champaign IL 61826<br>
</address>
</div>
I also used products from Sullivan:
<div class="callout">
<address>
Sullivan Products<br>
www.sullivanproducts.com <br>
1 North Haven Street Baltimore MD 21224 <br>
</address>
</div>